Once Upon a Time: Storytelling for Suppliers

By: Courtney Love

The story behind your products and your brand as a whole is a big part of who you are. Sharing your story with your audience will only make your brand more relatable and memorable for the people that happen to come across it.

In the world of promotional products that we live and breathe in daily, it’s common to find companies that sell similar, if not the same products.  These suppliers compete for increases in market share, not only within ESP but within the industry as a whole.

So how do you connect the story behind your product and your overall brand in a way that will help you get more customers, leads and sales?

The best storytelling happens when it creates a connection between your product and your customer. When distributors search for products in ESP that are best suited for their clients, they look for a certain criteria. They search for what type of product it is, quantity, imprinting options, to price and so on. They may find several suppliers that check off every single one of those boxes for their customers.

So then, why choose you? If you’ve effectively communicated your story within the marketplace and it resonates with one of those distributors searching, chances are they will choose you. And chances are, you also have a loyal following of distributors who will choose you again and again.

But, if you haven’t crafted your brand’s narrative effectively, chances are distributors will move on to the supplier who did.  All hope is not lost though.  In this modern marketing age of storytelling, customers crave that connection and they’re always looking for potential partners to relate to.  We see it every day; suppliers come to us to help them successfully tell their story in the marketplace.  
To get you started, here are 3 quick things to think about if you want to write a great brand and product story.  You want to show distributors just how awesome you are as a brand and why you’re the supplier they should do business with. 

1. How do your products fit in distributors and their customers every day lives? How do you see others utilizing them? What markets do they use them in? Weave stories that will help inspire distributors and reveal why they should choose your products.
2. Make them feel something.   Your brand needs to have an emotional connection with your audience.  Does your company participate in charitable initiatives? Do other distributors use your products in markets/events/situations that would tug at other’s heartstrings?
3. Be real. If there’s one thing that customers can see through, it’s inauthenticity. Be honest with them.  If you’re proud of where your products are made or the people who make them… pull back the curtain and let them in.  If your product doesn’t have a feature that a competitor might, don’t claim that it does.  Be honest. You’ll lose credibility within the industry fast if you’re looking for a quick sale and not a long-time customer. This is the age of authenticity - more and more consumers are looking for that connection, which in return solidifies brand loyalty. 
   
   

By thinking about these three things, you’re on your way to writing your hybrid brand/product story that will help you form stronger ties within the industry.  By combining distributors’ needs, what your products provide and while demonstrating an authentic approach, you will resonate with your audience, and ultimately establish new connections with new customers whose problems and needs can be answered by your brand and products. 

A quick piece of advice… start now.  The age of storytelling is here, and more and more suppliers are realizing the importance of it.  If you’re struggling with getting started, we can assist.  ASICreativeLabs was created with our supplier partners in mind, helping you create content that leaves a lasting impression and a loyal customer base….and well, a happily ever after for your bottom line.